The field of this invention includes computer displays, television displays, input/output methods for computers, and remote control devices for computers and televisions.
Some prior art exists that permits the projection of computer displays on televisions; however, the prior art does not conveniently and completely integrate computers and televisions in a system that is conveniently remote controlled.
Some remote wireless controls for televisions and personal computers (xe2x80x9cPCsxe2x80x9d) are available; however, complete and convenient remote wireless control of integrated television and computers are not available in the prior art.
It is an object of the present invention to fully integrate televisions and computers, such as PCs, and to control the integrated system remotely and in a wireless manner to allow for convenient usage. Particularly, it is an object of the present invention to permit the user, while reclining across the room from the television and/or out of the room containing the PC, to control both the television and the PC with components of the system.
It is also an object of the present invention to integrate televisions and PCs in a manner such that the computer can completely and fully control the television, a VCR, a cable set-top box, and any other home entertainment device.
The present invention includes the Couch Link embodiment. Couch Link provides for a remote keyboard, a remote joystick, and a remote pointer to control a PC. The PC generates a PC monitor display and the invention projects the same display image on a television.
The Relink embodiment of the present invention further permits the PC to not merely generate and project its PC monitor display on the TV, but also to control the TV""s functions, including program selection, viewing, recording, and scheduling. This is done by the invention sending commands to the TV, the VCR, the cable set-top box and/or any other home entertainment device.
The present invention is a new type of local area network architecture transmitting a different order of data over the network than is the case in conventional networks, and as a result the present invention also uses a different distribution of hardware on the network. The present invention transmits on its network ASCI keystroke commands, and cursor location control commands, and visual displays. As a result, the present invention does not require CPU and RAM capacity at each node in the network. On the other hand, conventional networks transmit a different order of information, including bit packets between CPUs, and hence require CPU and RAM capacity at each node.